1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wall coverings and, more particularly, to a pleated acoustical wall covering and the methods of production and installation of such pleated acoustical wall covering.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many devices have been proposed for hanging large sections of fabric for both decorative and sound proofing purposes along the walls of theaters, concert halls and the like. Typically, such devices comprise hanging brackets including pleat forming bends at equally spaced intervals wherein a planar fabric material is wrapped around the bends during installation to produce a pleated appearance to the installed fabric. Examples of such pleating brackets and methods of installation are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,785,426 and 4,342,356, both of which are incorporated herein by reference.
While such pleating brackets have assisted greatly in the formation of pleats during installation, they suffer from several disadvantages. Such brackets are generally bulky and extend a considerable distance outwardly from the wall. Additionally, portions of the brackets are typically visible after the fabric has been installed, thereby detracting from the finished appearance of the final installation. More particularly, conventional pleating brackets have failed to facilitate the installation of decorative trim or facia strips which provide a finished appearance to the wall covering system. Such facia strips are difficult to install against the plurality of bends in traditional pleating brackets.
Moreover, the prior art pleating brackets require considerable time and skill in wrapping the planar fabric material around the pleat forming bends. As may be readily appreciated, this is a time consuming process which requires experienced personnel having considerable skill and practice. Failure to properly wrap the fabric material over the brackets often results in non-parallel or skewed pleats thereby presenting an unattractive appearance.
In apparent recognition of some of the aforementioned shortcomings of various pleat forming brackets, U.S. Pat. No. 4,878,531, which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses support strips having flat surfaces for engaging the wall covering material. However, given the lack of a bracket structure having pleat forming bends for guiding the planar fabric material, great skill is required in order to form uniform and parallel pleats along the entire height and width of a wall to be covered. Even more so than with the aforementioned prior art pleating brackets, skilled installation personnel are required to devote a considerable amount of time and effort to the proper installation, and particularly to the pleat formation, of the wall covering material.
Accordingly, there is a need for a wall covering system which eliminates the need for traditional pleating brackets while providing a structure which facilitates rapid installation and produces an aesthetically pleasing appearance. There is a further need for a material for use within such a wall covering system that does not require brackets having pleat forming bends.
The present invention provides an acoustical wall covering system including a pleated material fixed between upper and lower mounting strips, or nailers, which extend substantially horizontally and are supported by a wall. The pleated material includes a plurality of pleats extending longitudinally in a substantially vertical direction between the upper and lower mounting strips and permanently fixed along longitudinally extending and continuous securing lines. The securing lines are oriented in a plane extending substantially parallel to the wall. Planar connecting, or overlapping, panels are positioned intermediate adjacent securing lines and are disposed parallel to the wall. The pleats are formed by first and second pleat panels extending outwardly from adjacent the wall. The first and second pleat panels are joined by the securing line at one end and define an apex at an opposing end.
Upper and lower portions of each pleat are fixed to upper and lower planar mounting surfaces of the upper and lower mounting strips respectively. The apex of each pleat adjacent the upper and lower portions thereof are fixed to the mounting strips such that the first and second pleat panels are folded essentially flat in substantially parallel and partially overlapping relation with adjacent connecting panels. As such, a substantially planar surface is defined over which planar mounting surfaces of upper and lower facia strips are mounted for covering the upper and lower mounting strips. The apex of each pleat extends outwardly in spaced relation to the wall as the pleat extends towards a centerline between the upper and lower portions.
The method of producing the pleated material of the present invention comprises the steps of providing a supply source of planar fabric material, providing a pleating die downstream from the supply source, providing a securing device downstream from the pleating die, and providing a take-up device downstream from the securing device. The planar material is pulled from the supply source through the pleating die where a plurality of pleats are formed longitudinally therein in a simultaneous manner. The pleating die may comprise one of many different structures or combinations thereof, including a plurality of rods, bars or wheels for producing the pleats within the fabric.
Next, the newly pleated material is pulled through the securing device where the pleats are permanently and simultaneously fixed along longitudinally extending and continuous securing lines. The securing lines may be formed by numerous means including sewing, adhesive application, or ultrasonic welding. The pleats are folded flat against an adjacent connecting panel and the newly produced pleated material is then supplied to the take-up device, preferably a collection roll. Once the collection roll has acquired sufficient pleated material, it may be transported to a job site for installation.
During installation, the pleated material is unrolled from the collection roll in a length approximately equal to the height of the portion of the wall to be covered. The pleats are arranged in a vertically extending manner wherein the top edge of the material is fixed, preferably by nailing or stapling, to the upper mounting strip. The installer then ensures that the pleats extend substantially vertical plumb before fixing the bottom edge of the material to the lower mounting strip. Excess material is trimmed, and the upper and lower facia strips are fixed to the upper and lower mounting strips to provide a finished appearance to the wall covering system.
Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide a wall covering system and method of installation which minimizes the time and expense of installation.
It is another object of the invention to provide such a wall covering system and method of installation by which an attractive pleated appearance is created in the wall covering material.
It is still yet another object of the invention to provide a wall covering system including a material having pleats permanently fixed therein along their longitudinal length thereby eliminating the need to form pleats upon installation.
It is a further object of the invention to provide such a wall covering system which eliminates the need for traditional pleating brackets.
It is another object of the invention to provide a wall covering support structure which supports the wall covering material in substantially planar relation to the wall which is covered.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a method of producing a wall covering material having a plurality of permanently fixed pleats.
It is another object of the invention to provide such a method wherein the plurality of pleats are formed simultaneously and then secured simultaneously along a plurality of securing lines.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.